Wake Me Up When This Chaos Ends
by Feni
Summary: In a world where Pokemon have turned against humans and even their own kind, Red breaks. Green is the only one left to pick up the pieces.
1. Bring Me to Life

**A/N: **I've had this idea in my head for a while, so I hope you guys enjoy it! This takes place after The Ghost of Maiden's Peak and is located in the same universe.

**Image Song:** Bring Me to Life by Evanescence

**Warnings:** Red is OOC for a good reason… How would YOU react if this happened to you? … Yeah, I thought so.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon or the Image Song. I only own Setsuka and the universe into which I threw the Canons.

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><p><strong>Wake Me Up When This Chaos Ends<strong>

**Written by Fenikkusu**

**Unbeta'd**

**Dream I – Bring Me to Life**

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><p>"No signs of the Chaos, Green. The Pokémon all feel safe here." My assistant, N, stood up and doused his hands in hand sanitizer. After touching all of these creatures, it was only habit that the cleaned his hands. Even if they were not Rogues, they might have had a scuffle with one on the way here.<p>

I should explain the state of the world right now. It has been nine years since the Chaos first struck the world. People and Pokémon could no longer live in Kanto or Johto, because everything was reduced to rubble. Lives were destroyed, towns were obliterated, and everything was torn apart.

When the Chaos began, random Pokémon began betraying their Trainers and Coordinators. They attacked humans and even those of their own kind. This happened spontaneously; one moment the creature was acting normal and the next had them tearing through flesh. These type of Pokémon are what we now call Rogues.

Not every Pokémon turned evil. We call these non-affected creatures Innocents. Unfortunately, due to the scare that the Rogues gave humans, Innocents are hard to find these days… at least in the other regions. Unova is relatively unaffected, and I'm here to keep it that way. However, I can't say the same for the rest of the regions.

There is a group of trainers that is seeking the solution to the problem of the Rogues, though. They are called the Warriors of Hope. Their leader is named Setsuka, and she's not your conventional woman. I mean, who goes around wearing a samurai outfit in this day and age? Regardless of her appearance, she's one of the few people I trust these days.

You must be thinking, "There has to be someone responsible for the Rogues!" There is. The group called the Gale of Darkness started this whole mess, though we at the Warriors of Hope are unsure how. There's little information on them except that their leader is known as the Pharaoh and the second-in-command is called Blood Raven. We at the Warriors of Hope 'affectionately' refer to the latter as Bitch, because she's one in every single way. Yes, you heard me right.

"Um, sir? I really do think you should take a step to your right." I blinked out of my thoughts as I complied, seeing a flash of purple whiz past my head. I immediately reached to my side and brought out a pistol, taking aim at the thing. "Wait! I think it has something in its tail," N exclaimed. Although I took my finger off of the trigger, I followed it with my gun until it landed in front of me. Upon closer inspection, I found out it was a Gliscor. It held out a tail, with a letter wrapped around it.

"He's safe," N spoke. This was serious if it had N speaking in short sentences. I nodded and plucked the piece of worn parchment from the poison-type. Paper was hard to come by these days, but parchment? This must be ancient. I blinked at the scrawny cursive depicting my name. I tore open the letter when I recognized the handwriting.

**Everyone is dead, Green.**

**Red just tried to commit suicide.**

**He needs you now.**

**-Setsuka**

I nearly dropped the letter. Red? Suicide? What the hell was happening in Kanto right now? I was sent here so I wouldn't interfere with the main branch of the Warriors of Hope, but… I clenched the letter in my right hand. Maybe it was time to head home. My mind wandered to the final day I had in Kanto.

"_Are you all right with this?" S__etsuka asked. I nodded. "You know that I've made it this way to make it easier for both of you. After Blue was murdered last month..."  
><em>

_"I agree that the distance is hard to deal wit__h, but we've done it before."  
><em>

_Setsuka smiled, which was a rare event in and of itself. "Take care, Green. We'll be in touch." I saluted the Commander and turned to the boat that was to depart for Unova.  
><em>

"_Hey, wait up!" I looked over my shoulder to see Red running. He slid to a stop right before me, clutching his knees.  
><em>

"_Idiot," I said as I rolled my eyes. "How many times have we told you to take it easy? You just got back from Mount Silver. Do you want to go back so soon?"_

_R__ed just grinned. "I had to see you off. I bet you'll be able to find a cure for these rogues over in Unova. They have a ton of tech there. I wanted to give you these. Think of them as a loan." He held out two Pokéballs to me. I blinked as I took them._

"_Pika? Vee? Red, are you sure?" The Pikachu and Espeon smiled from their spheres. You could tell they were his by the goofy grins they wore on their faces.  
><em>

_"Positive. Umbreon will need a friend too. You're crazy, only taking one with you." It's not like I had much of a choice. My other Pokémon had been converted by the Bitch, Blood Raven."  
><em>

"_Thanks, S__atoshi." Red blinked at his real name. His lips twitched into a soft smile._

"_Good luck, Shigeru. Not that you'll need it or anything." We shook hands, and that was the last time that I saw him._

"Here's your Xtransceiver." I turned around to see my green-haired assistant holding out the watch-like device. "I read the postscript." He pointed to the bottom of the letter.

**P.S. Below is my Xtransceiver number. Call whenever you get the chance, so we can discuss modes of transportation. N can come as well.**

I quickly punched in the number, not caring what time it was over in the other country. My heart leapt to my throat as the call was received. The static faded to reveal a tanned woman with wild blue hair. Indigo irises held relief.

"Thank Arceus. Is Gliscor safe?" Setsuka asked. I nodded my head. "Great. He'll relay the coordinates to N, and you can teleport to the airport."

"How's Red?" I asked with apprehension coating my voice.

"I'll only show you what he looks like for a few seconds." I didn't question why as she took the watch off of her wrist. Turns out I didn't need to.

I stopped breathing when I saw the state he was in. His skin was a sickly white, and I could see the bones of his arms. His wrists were wrapped in bloodied bandages, as was his neck. Blood continued to seep through them. The position of his body was contorted, as if he was a rag doll unceremonious dropped on the floor. Before I was able to discern more, the camera turned away.

"Shit," I whispered.

"Exactly. When can you come, Green? I can't leave him alone in the state that he's in now," Setsuka replied when she came back on screen. Worry laced the normally calm tone.

"How long will the helicopter ride take?" I asked.

"Five hours. Tomorrow, as dawn breaks." I nodded and saluted the woman before the transmission was cut. I took a deep breath.

"N, we're moving out. Completely. Could you help me pack?" The teenager nodded. "All right. Let's get moving!"


	2. The Burdened

**A/N: **This chapter is dedicated to the reviewers who have been asking me to put it up. I didn't realize people actually liked this. That's why you all need to **review**!

For all who didn't realize it in the first place, Green is based upon his **original Japanese counterpart**. This means that Green = Shigeru = Gary.

**Image Song: **The Burdened from the game Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. I imagined this through the entire scene with Red and Green~

**Warnings:** Red is OOC for a good reason (though he won't be like this for the entire story, I assure you). How would YOU react if this happened to you? … Yeah, I thought so.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon or the Image Song. I only own Setsuka and my little universe with the Rogues.

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><p><strong>Wake Me Up When This Chaos Ends<strong>

**Written by Fenikkusu**

**Dream II – The Burdened**

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><p>We were up before dawn the next day. Granted, my assistant was still sleepy… quite sleepy, in fact. I doubt that the kid was woken up before dawn before. N knew what he was getting into when he came under my wing, but at times he tended to forget it.<p>

"Lemme alone," N mumbled when I tried to get him up.

"You know what the Commander said, N. We need you to relay the coordinates from Gliscor to my Alakazam. This is the safest time to fly," I explained. I ruffled his hair; it was a habit that I picked up from the Commander herself. As to why she resorted to this to get us up, I didn't think I'd find out for a while. However, the tactic always seemed to work. N, with a groan, pushed himself off of the bed and onto the floor. I couldn't help but chuckle at the disheveled boy.

Not long after that, my Alakazam transported us to the airport in Mistralton City. The gym leader was kind enough to lend us one of her helicopters once she heard that Setsuka sent for us. Thankfully Unova hadn't been affected with the Chaos… yet. As much as I loathe thinking it, it was entirely possible that this blossoming region could contract the disease.

The landscape changed once the Warrior pilot took off. Green melded into brown, and all signs of civilization faded away. N couldn't even look at the destruction after the first few minutes. I couldn't blame the boy, either. If he weren't as special as he was, I would not have brought him along with me. However, I couldn't leave N alone in Unova for fear that the Gale would find him. He's only ten years old; if I had my wish, he wouldn't have been exposed to the horrors of the Chaos at such a young age.

I felt a wave of dread pass over me as we landed. Would Pallet be the same as since I'd left all those years ago? Most likely it wasn't, and that caused my hesitation. I managed to get my hand on the handle of the door before I paused. Since there was no way to avoid the inevitable, I threw open the door of the helicopter.

Pallet Town was nothing like I remembered. Where there were once rolling hills there was now nothing. Debris of all sorts lay at my feet, ruins of buildings and Pokémon included. Yes, I said Pokémon. I took a step off of the vehicle and found my foot standing next to the remains of what I assume was a Rattata. I had since grown accustomed to such brutality, but I couldn't say the same for my assistant.

I craned my head backwards. "N?"

"Y-yes, sir?" was the timid response from inside.

"Put on your blindfold."

"B-but!"

"**Now**," I insisted. Back when I first met the boy, I had given him a bandanna I had saved from my adventures with the other PokéDex holders. One of my stipulations was that N was to wear the bandanna whenever I said so.

"Yes, sir," N muttered as he walked to the edge of the helicopter. He squeaked as I hauled him up onto my back. "S-sir?"

"Just relax. I won't let you fall." Like hell I'd chance him stepping in some remains. At least Pallet Town didn't smell like rotting carcasses.

Gliscor zoomed past my head at that moment, gliding to my grandfather's old lab. Three long raps of his tail landed on the door. What I wasn't expecting was a trap door to open beneath us. At the sudden falling sensation, N screamed. The fall didn't last for long though, as N and I landed upon some kind of cushioning material. I put the kid down and took off his blindfold.

"Are you all right?" I asked, gazing into his eyes. Shimmering pools of gray were my answer; he was as scared as I expected him to be.

"Yeah, but where are we?" N asked in a small voice. He looked about the small cavern in wonder.

"The main HQ of the Warriors of Hope," I finished. I gestured to Gliscor, who was patiently waiting for us near one of the many exits. "People are waiting for us."

The underground headquarters of the Kibou no Senshi was a huge maze, from what I remembered. The entrance had changed from the basement of Red's house to the lab without my knowing, but I wasn't entirely surprised. A lot could happen within three years.

"Thank you, Arceus, for allowing them to arrive here safely," I heard from behind me. I turned to see the commander of the Warriors of Hope, Setsuka, sporting a relieved countenance. It was then that I noticed the permanent wrinkles upon her face. Surely she was not a day over thirty, but the stress of the war and keeping the innocent safe definitely contributed to her aged exterior. She knelt down upon one knee so that she was at N's height. "And who do we have here?"

"H-hi," N whispered, glancing down at his feet. "I'm Natural Harmonia Gropius, but I pre-prefer N, madam."

At this, Setsuka placed a calloused hand upon his green hair and ruffled it, making a smile appear on the boy's face. "Welcome to the ranks, Warrior N."

His head shot up. "W-warrior? But madam… I don't even **have** Pokémon!"

"And that is where you are wrong, little one," Setsuka appended, taking out a Pokéball from within an inner sleeve of her _hakama_. "This is for you. Go on."

"But ma'am—"

"Go on," she insisted in a tone that was all too uncharacteristic for her. I only stood to the side and watched as N pressed the button in the front of the sphere. The boy jumped back as a tiny creature appeared in front of him, bathed in carmine light. A green helmet-like structure sat on the humanoid's head. "This is a Ralts, the Feeling Pokémon," Setsuka explained. "He is an orphan much like you, N. Will you take care of him for me?"

"Me?" N asked, eyes wide. "I don't know if I can do it… What if I mess up? I don't want him to get hurt!" The Ralts blinked and walked closer to the boy, wrapping its arms around one of his legs. "Woah, he's so warm!"

It was then I intervened. "They say that when a Ralts captures positive feelings from people, its body warms up slightly. I think the Ralts already has a taking to you." The little monster nodded against N's leg to affirm my statement.

"N, I want you to go with my friend while I talk to Green about some grown-up things," Setsuka said, nodding to a fiery redhead standing behind her. She wasn't as frail as she seemed as she picked up both N and the Ralts easily. After fervently assuring me that she would take care of the boy, Rui walked away.

"He's in here," Setsuka mentioned after the others were out of earshot. She led me to a simple chrome door with one window. I could see the inner walls of the room padded with white cushions. As I cracked the door open, I noticed a black form huddled in the farthest corner.

That couldn't be him, could it? After a glance of approval from the Commander, I stepped into the room. "… Red?" I asked as I drew closer. "Red, it's me, Green." I tentatively placed a hand on the huddled form's shoulder and shook it slightly. "Red…"

When he turned to face me, my heart stopped. These weren't the bright pools of red that were his namesake, oh no. Dark, dilated irises held no emotion. They said that the eyes were the windows to the soul… the emptiness told me there wasn't one left.

"Green?" he croaked. I nodded. "That means I really **am** dead," Red continued, staring aimlessly at me. He didn't even bother to blink.

"No!" I screamed, causing him to flinch. I inwardly berated myself as I lowered my voice. "We're both very much alive, Red."

"… But what about the man?"

"What man?"

"He… he was dressed in black and gold," Red mumbled. "I thought he was the Reaper. He told me that someone was coming for me…"

I narrowed my eyes. This could very well be a delusion brought about by the suicide attempt. "It was only a dream, Red. C'mon, it's time to eat."

An immediate response. "Not hungry. Give it to someone who needs it." The Red I **thought **I knew would never have passed up an opportunity for a good meal. What in the world pushed you to such a point, Red? I admitted it wasn't the best of times, but we both faced death multiple times before. If Blue's murder didn't bring him to this point, then what did?

I grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "**You're** the one who needs it. Look at yourself!" No reaction. "Damnit, where's the Red I used to know?"

"He's dead."

I groaned in frustration; we were going in circles here. "Then who's standing in front of me now?" Red shrugged. "What would the rest of our friends think if they saw you like this?" Another shrug was accompanied by a mumble. "Speak up!"

Red raised his head and stared directly at me. "Doesn't matter. They're all dead because of me. Yellow and Ka-Kasumi are gone."

What? How… why didn't I… My hands fell from Red's shoulders. That meant that Red and I were the only original PokéDex holders left alive. "… Everyone?" I whispered, my own gaze averted to the floor. No. I couldn't afford this, not here, not now. I clenched my fists and looked up again. "You're alive for a **reason**, Red. I'm here, Commander Setsuka's here, all of the Warriors of Hope are here!"

"They don't need me," Red insisted.

The sound of an opening door caught my attention then. "On the contrary," the Commander of the Warriors of Hope began, crossing her arms as she walked into the tiny room. "Who else is going to train the newest recruits? No one is better in battling than you, Lieutenant Red."

A shrug. "Green can."

Setsuka shook her head, keeping her dark eyes upon the boy. "No, he has a job of his own to complete." She then turned her gaze to me, willing me to continue.

So I did. "I was sent to Unova to find a cure. Do you remember that much?" I began slowly. "Therefore, I cannot be dead as the enemy hasn't discovered the region yet." He didn't respond.

How was I going to get through to him? I felt shaking upon my belt and nearly slapped myself on the forehead. I peeled one arm off of Red and took two Pokéballs between my fingers. In two flashes of red light, Pika and Vee appeared. Their appearances didn't differ much from when I left, as I rarely needed them to battle over in Unova. The former leapt upon Red's free shoulder and rubbed his cheek against the human's. Vee mewled and butted her head against one of Red's limp hands.

Realization caught on as a stack of tinder to a spark. I sighed in relief as warmth crept into Red's gaze. I would be foolish to think that he could return to his old self so soon, but this was a beginning, a burden lifted from him. Red fell to his knees and cradled the two Pokémon close, clinging to them as lifelines. From what I remember many of Red's own teammates had been Converted into Rogues when the mess first started. No wonder why he left those two to me; it was the only way to keep them safe.

Setsuka cleared her throat. "As you two seem to be all right here, I shall return to the briefing room. The next meeting is in two hours, and I expect you – both of you – to be there. Green, if you could get Red to eat something after he reunites with his partners, it would be quite appreciated." She gestured to a different corner of the room where some soup and crackers sat. "When the time comes, Touya will lead you to the briefing room." The Commander retrieved an Ultra Ball and released a bright green dragon. The shiny Salamence yawned and took one look at us before curling into a nearby corner. As if reading my mind, Setsuka mentioned, "He's a gift from my late sister."

I gawked. "You had a sister?"

Setsuka laughed. "That is a story for another time, Lieutenant Green. You have other matters to worry about." She nodded a head at Red. "Though, at the rate you are going, you may get that story sooner than later." With that, she about-faced and left.

Wait.

Lieutenant?

I'd never get a break, would I. But with one glance at Red and the hint of a smile upon his face, I shook my head. Nope, not one break in sight. For now, I don't think I would mind. As long as I could get Red to smile again, that's all that mattered.


	3. I'll Make a Man Out of You

**A/N: **Fwee, chapter three already? Thanks for all of the support, guys!

**Image Song: **I'll Make a Man Out of You from Mulan

**Warnings:** Red is OOC for a good reason (though he won't be like this for the entire story, I assure you). How would YOU react if this happened to you? … Yeah, I thought so.

Also, for all who didn't realize it in the first place, Green is based upon his **original Japanese counterpart**. This means that Green = Shigeru = Gary.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon or the Image Song. I only own Setsuka and my little universe with the Rogues.

* * *

><p><strong>Wake Me Up When This Chaos Ends<strong>

**Written by Fenikkusu**

**Dream III – I'll Make a Man Out of You**

* * *

><p>I didn't realize how much time had passed until the Shiny Salamence nudged me on the leg. As I blinked out of my thoughts, I found myself still sitting in front of the soup and crackers. Turning my head to my right, I saw Red staring intently at the food. If looks had any physical effect, the food would have already burst into flames. His bandaged hands sat neatly folded in his lap.<p>

What in the world was he waiting for?

This man wasn't the Red I knew, and the fact that he didn't immediately shovel the food into his mouth further proved my theory. But he wasn't the only thing that changed, oh no. There were many things I needed to find out. How was the operation going? Were they successful in calming some Rogues with the methods from Orre? A million other questions ran through my mind, but Red came first.

"Green?" a timid voice asked. It paused, and I guessed that he was trying to find something to say. "You didn't leave."

I scoffed. "Of course not, Idiot. I'm not about to either."

He looked away from the table and whispered, "You should." That earned him a whack on the head from Pika's tail and a bite from Vee. Red didn't bother to flinch at either motion.

"I won't. You need me here." I chanced a slight glare, but it didn't seem to affect him in the slightest.

"If you stay, you'll end up dead... Like everyone else."

"I'm no wuss. I can hold my own. I **was** your greatest rival."

"**Was**." Red took a deep breath and shuddered. "You're gonna die. The Rogues..." I blinked in shock; did he really lose so much faith in me? Or were the Rogues really too powerful now? Before I could say anything, there was a knock at the door. After placing a reassuring hand on Red's back, I went to open it. A peculiarly dressed boy with platinum blonde hair stood in the hallway.

"Setsuka sent me to check up on you guys," the boy said. "You good to go to the experiment halls today?"

I shrugged. "I'll be wherever Red wants to go."

"We won't bring him into the testing chamber, then. You have two hours." Without any further warning, the boy turned and walked away.

As soon as he was out of earshot, I glanced over my shoulder at Red. Instead of glaring at the food, there seemed to be a spark of curiosity in the otherwise dead irises. Pika took the opportunity to hop onto the table and nibble upon one of the crackers. Vee, on the other hand, curled up in Red's lap.

"Who does that kid think he is?" I asked with a sigh as I walked back toward him. "He struts around and acts like he owns the place."

Red bit the insides of his cheeks before responding. "That's Wes. From Orre, tried to stop the production of Shadow Pokémon."

I blinked. "Shadow Pokémon?"

Red nodded. "They were the basis for the Rogues. Ask the Commander."

Great, more questions to deal with. "All right. We need to head over there, anyway. Something about a meeting?" A nod came from Red. "How're we going to get there?"

At that the Salamence once again butted its head against my side. It sat on the floor, motioning to its back. I hopped on, pulling Red on behind me once he had finished off some more of the soup. It wasn't much to begin with, but it was a start. Pika hopped on Red's shoulder while Vee chose to return to its Pokéball. The shiny Pokémon waddled out of the room before spreading its great wings. I almost fell back into Red, but thankfully my reflexes haven't completely disappeared. I wrapped one arm around the Salamence's neck as it sped forward.

I barely felt Red's arms wrap around my waist. There was no weight behind them at all… I internally seethed; whoever did this to him would pay. Dearly. Then again, those people were already dead.

The Salamence took a sharp right and slowed. It landed in a long hallway, but it kept on walking forward. The hall had spotlights on portraits hanging from the walls. Red pulled back from me at the sudden change of speed. "This is the Hall of Heroes," Red explained, pressing his forehead between my shoulder blades. "These are all the Heroes who died. The most recent casualties are closer to the meeting room door."

I solemnly nodded and urged the Salamence forward. The first picture I saw was a young girl, perhaps three years or so younger than Red and I were now. She had shoulder-length brunette hair and bright blue eyes. "Blue…"

"_You have to keep going!" Blue screamed as her Blastoise held back the Rogues chasing us down._

"_Fat chance!" Red shouted back as Pika used Thunderbolt on another group of rabid Pidgey._

"_We're not leaving you," I added as Umbreon used Confuse Ray to make the alpha Pidgeots to attack their minions._

_Blue turned her head to us, fire blazing in her sapphire-colored eyes. "Think about it," she hissed. "Red just got back from Mount Silver a few days ago. Stop acting all high and mighty, Red. We all know you're not one-hundred percent yet. Commander Setsuka said there's a copter waiting to bring you to our new HQ."_

"_I won't!" Red exclaimed, although his limp was painfully obvious. "I won't let you risk your life for my sake!"_

"_You **idiot**," Blue replied. "Everyone in the Warriors of Hope depends on you. You're the Battler, remember? I'm just the Evolver. Green's the Trainer. They need you guys more than me, okay? Just cut the losses and move on!" She turned to her Blastoise. "You ready, Turtley?" A nod. Blue hopped onto the turtle's back. "Let's go. Hydro Cannon!"_

_The Blastoise threw its head back and charged two powerful blasts of water. When released, the water tore through the mob of Flying-type Pokémon. The turtle ran forward with Blue hanging on tightly to its shell._

"_Blue, wait!" Red ran forward, but I managed to grab his arm before he got too far._

"_We have to go, Red," I whispered. I glanced up at the retreating figures of Blue and her starter. "We have to believe she'll be all right."_

I went out searching the next day when the coast was clear. I found her body pinned to my front door in Pallet with a length of chain wrapped around her neck. I could tell by the angle that she was dead. A note fell from her pocket when I pulled Blue down.

**Finally decided to put up a fight, Greenie-poo?**

**This is what happens when you decide to meddle in affairs you cannot possibly understand.**

**Tell Setsuka to pull the Pokéball out of her ass and face me directly. I'm sick of killing her Warriors over and over. I want a real challenge.**

**Consider this a warning.**

**-Blood Raven**

I shivered at the mere memory, causing Red to hug me tighter. The next portrait I saw had a boy with shoulder-length red hair. Sharp silver eyes glared at the camera, and his lips formed a terse line.

_"You're making a mistake," I said, glaring at the teenager. "You're not thinking. What would Blue say?"_

_ "Shut up," Silver bluntly replied. He shoved a few more supplies into a small backpack. "They killed my sister, and I'm going to avenge her."_

_ "No, Silver. You're going to **die** just like she did if you run in recklessly without a plan! You're acting just like Red."_

_ "But Red's a General, isn't he? He's stronger than I am. Maybe I **should **act more like him."_

_ I shook my head. "You're a strategist, Silver. We need your help to come up with a plan to stop Blood Raven."_

_ He glared right back at me. "It's too late to come up with anything. The Gale has already taken control of Johto from the inside out. Kanto's been gone. Hoenn is their next target! I have to stop them before more people and Pokémon are killed." He hauled the backpack onto a shoulder and stormed past me. He paused as soon as he was in the hallway._

_ "She murdered my father, Green. I just found out today. You know what she said?" He began to laugh hysterically. "She said she made him suffer. Giovanni begged her to spare my life, and you know what she did? She tortured him more. I won't let her hurt anyone anymore." With that, Silver ran off._

The search party found him in Viridian City, in the remnants of my old Gym. There wasn't a note this time, but there was no need for one. Silver's mangled body lay next to Giovanni's. The autopsy team said that they had suffered the same water torture before Blood Raven slit their throats.

As the Salamence continued forward, two portraits sat side by side. A girl with bright blue hair and crystalline eyes stood next to a boy with short black hair and golden eyes. They grinned happily as they flashed their Hero Badges to the camera.

_"Isn't it beautiful?" Kristal asked, holding up her left hand. A small diamond sat in the middle of a simple silver band._

_ The sides of my mouth turned up in a smile. "I'm really happy for you and Gold. When's the marriage happening?"_

_ That caused the girl to frown and lower her hand. "Whenever this damn war is over. We can hold off our happiness until the world is safe. As PokéDex holders, that's our job, isn't it? You guys still need my help." Kristal pulled out a navy-colored Pokéball from her pocket. "I'm still researching the properties of these Aura Balls and how they contain the Rogues. Rumor has it that these Pokéballs increase the aggressive behaviors of the Rogues, so I need to figure out how this thing captures them."_

_ "How's Gold?"_

_ "He's been trying to breed stronger Innocents for us. Arceus knows we need them. Something about Individual Values or something… you know more about it than I do already!" Kristal said with a laugh. "He's over in the Breeding Area if you want to talk to him. The way he proposed was **hilarious**."_

As it turns out, Kristal was killed while trying to crack the secrets of the Aura Ball. There was an explosion in the laboratory which took both her and Gold's life. I clenched a fist. The day before she died, Kristal had shown me her wedding dress.

There was an empty space in the area closest to the door. _**That's where Kasumi's picture is going, **_I thought with a grimace. _**When will this madness end?**_ Red and I dismounted the Salamence when we reached a large chrome door at the end of the hallway. Red walked over to an eye-scanner and allowed the red light to scan his iris.

"Welcome back, General Red. Please enter the briefing room."

The Battler took a step back and grabbed my forearm again. "Not everyone is on our side," he whispered.

"Wait, what?" I didn't receive an answer as the doors swung open.


	4. Weight of the World

**A/N: **Okay, I'll post this new chapter, gosh. xD

**Image Song: **Weight of the World by Evanescence

**Warnings:** Red is OOC for a good reason (though he won't be like this for the entire story, I assure you). How would YOU react if this happened to you? … Yeah, I thought so.

Also, for all who didn't realize it in the first place, Green is based upon his **original Japanese counterpart**. This means that Green = Shigeru = Gary.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon or the Image Song. I only own Setsuka and my little universe with the Rogues.

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><p><strong>Wake Me Up When This Chaos Ends<strong>

**Written by Fenikkusu**

**Dream IV – Weight of the World**

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><p>The briefing room was surprisingly bare. At the far end of the room sat a smartboard. In the middle sat a huge oval table. Some faces were familiar to me, but the majority of these Heroes were new due to the recent deaths. Everyone turned to stare at Red and me except for the Commander. Instead, a smirk settled across her features.<p>

"Ah, prompt as you have always been," the Commander commented. She gestured to the empty two seats to her right.

If silence were deadly, Red and I would have been dead as soon as the doors flew open. If somehow we had survived, the silence **now** would have been the nails in our coffins. My arm came around Red's shoulders and tugged him against my side, away from those prying eyes. A tiny shiver set my blood to boil. We both knew what the rest of the room was thinking, and I would have none of it.

Sometimes human nature disgusts me. It is times like these in which I wish that I wish I were not so perceptive. I saw the youngest Heroes regarding us with timid admiration. The older ones knew how to better conceal their emotions, but disgust was hard to hide. Just because Red was leaning on me so didn't mean that we were in any sort of… illicit relationship. He was my friend, and I'll be damned if I allow people who don't understand bring me down. I needed to be strong for Red and the rest of the Warriors of Hope. Fuck human nature.

We came to the two empty seats, one of which was right next to the Commander. I led Red to it, but he refused to sit. Instead he sat on the only other free seat and refused to look in the Commander's direction. He kept his eyes down on the table. Normally I would say something about his behavior, but this wasn't the right time nor place for it. I sat down next to the Commander and nodded.

She returned the nod and said, "We are prepared for the briefing. Mirei, if you may?"

The girl with the fiery hair from earlier popped up from the group of people at the table. She walked to the smartboard as the lights dimmed. A projector from somewhere above us flickered on. A map of Kanto appeared, red splashed over the majority of it. "This is the current Rogue population in Kanto, represented in red," Mirei began. She took a pen and circled Pallet Town. "For some reason, the population around our base has dwindled. This has happened before, and I assume we all know what that means."

The platinum blonde, Wes, scoffed. "The Gale is planning an attack. Anyone with a mind would be able to figure that out."

Mirei didn't look phased at all. She tapped on the side of the smartboard, bringing up the maps of the other regions. Johto and Hoenn had massive amounts of red while Sinnoh and Unova barely had any. "As of last month, our contacts have told us that the amount of Rogues in the other regions has slowly begun to decrease due to the prototype serum that was developed," Mirei reported.

I felt a grip on my right hand and glanced up at Red. He gave me a weak smile, even though he still didn't meet my eyes. How he knew that this particular serum was of my making, I don't know, but I accepted the gratitude all the same. We were far from a permanent solution, but this was a start. Come to think of it, where would our research go from here, now that I was back in Kanto?

Before I could ask, the Commander interjected, "All available research hands will be devoted to Unova. Our chief scientist will be stationed here for the time being. His research will be used here after the breakthrough of the latest prototype."

I nodded absentmindedly. I had figured as much, but this was the first time that the Commander herself confirmed it. Either way – I glanced over at Red – as long as I was nearby it didn't matter where I would go. Another tap drew my attention back to the screen, where three types of Rogues were displayed.

Mirei cleared her throat. "On the lines of research, we have confirmed three types of Rogue Pokémon." She pointed at a Pichu whose skin was dark blue. Its cheeks were a deep navy, and its eyes glowed an unnatural ruby. If you looked close enough, you could see that its ears were notched and that scars littered its body. "This Pichu was encountered in Johto. We call this Stage One, indicated by the navy pelt and ruby eyes. Originally we thought them to be… harmless. However, recent developments state otherwise. Although Stage One Rogues are incapable of Converting Innocents, their aggression rivals that of Shadow Pokémon which once ravaged Orre." Wes snorted at this and crossed his arms.

Really, just what was this kid's problem?

The next slide brought up a gray Pikachu sporting the same wild eyes. The once adorable Pokémon snarled at the screen, foam dripping from its maw. Sparks flew from its black cheeks. "During Stage Two," Mirei continued, "the aggression doubles. The majority of the species studied so far begin at Stage Two. Caution should be taken, as the Chaos is transferred through bites and scratches."

The final slide showed an ebony Raichu. Its crazed irises told every that every trace of sanity had been eliminated. "A-And this is Stage Three. There is currently no hope for Conversion back into an Innocent if a Rogue reaches this stage. Chaos can be transferred by mere touch, as it has completely consumed the Rogue's body, mind, and soul. Most final evolutions are found in Stage Three.

"Our mission as the Warriors of Hope is to rid the world of Rogues and return to peace to the world."

The Commander nodded. "Thank you, Mirei." The dismissed girl found her way back to her seat. The Commander placed her elbows on the table and her chin on her folded hands. "Considering the most recent events, we'll need to change our initial plans. We have lost **far** too many Heroes too soon. We need to devise a way to clear more of the Rogues without placing ourselves and our Pokémon in danger." She gestured to me. "Although Lieutenant Green only just stabilized this prototype—"

"Wait, Lieutenant?! What the hell!" Wes screamed and slammed his hands down on the table. Red winced and inched closer to me. My grip on his hand tightened in reflex.

"Do you have a problem with Green's promotion, Hero Wes?" The Commander's tone was even and unaffected by the teen's outburst.

"Of course I do!"

"Wes…" Mirei trailed, reaching a hand forward. She cried out as her hand was slapped away.

"Don't 'Wes' me. I'm sick of this shit! I'm out there day after day with my partners, risking our very lives for our cause while this—" He pointed at me, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "This scientist plays with chemicals all day! So what if he found a serum which can stabilize Rogue's moods. Big whoop. Where's our **cure**? You've had five years. How hard is it to mix chemicals?"

At a glance from the Commander, I began to speak. Slowly. "This 'mixing chemicals' as you put it is much more difficult than you realize. Many of the chemicals which we use are quite volatile. Why do you think that we were stationed in Unova? The region is the only one with the advanced technology needed to work with them. I would rather not bore the rest of the room with the fine details, but I can assure you that this is dangerous work that I do."

Wes glared, fire flaring behind his eyes. "So what if it's dangerous for both of us? How come I'm not a lieutenant yet?" He dared to laugh. "The only reason I see for your promotion is that you're the only one that's able to comfort that poor excuse for a general!" At that Red began to curl in onto himself, but a quick squeeze on his hand stopped him. "Everyone who works with him gets killed," Wes continued, his voice laced with venom. "What use is a person who can't even defend his friends?"

Red shook his head. "Stop," he whispered, the sound barely audible. "Please stop."

As I opened my mouth to retort Wes, the Commander stopped me with a simple shake of her head. Over the years I had learned to respect her simple signs lest I be embarrassed in front of a group of people. By Wes' haughty smirk, he hadn't learned yet. "Hero Wes," the Commander began, "tell me. What do you know of Green's and Red's achievements together?"

"Why should I care?" Wes spat.

A glare. Indigo irises colder than the top of Mount Silver never strayed from Wes. He began to squirm beneath her gaze. "I asked you a question, Hero Wes, and I expect it to be answered."

Wes took a moment to think and a moment to look embarrassed. He mumbled his first answer. When asked to repeat, he said, "I don't know anything. Ma'am."

"From the age of ten these boys were destined to save the world, and more than once," the Commander continued. "They did so before the Warriors of Hope even existed. Did they need to take the weight of the world upon their shoulders? No. But they did so without complaint. What is a title to you, Hero Wes? Are you trying to impress someone? Boost your self-esteem? Prove to yourself that you're better than the average trainer?" Her look put him in place. "You will, for the moment, remain as you are. You will be promoted when I feel that you are ready."

Now cool indigo eyes glanced at each person in the room before their owner said, "If I may continue?" Although Wes still looked frustrated, he sat back down in his seat with a huff. "Now this prototype is still just that, a prototype. Nevertheless, this is progress. I hope to see more from our scientists concerning the serum." The Commander turned her head to me. "Your place for the moment, Lieutenant Green, is on the front lines. I ask if you show the other trainers here how you administer your prototype."

Carefully I unraveled my hand from Red's and felt his eyes follow it to the hidden pistol on my right side. In one swift movement I had the gun loaded and pointed it at an empty piece of wall. A simple pull of the trigger sent the makeshift bullet flying with a whistle. The syringe I had modified for ammunition stuck into the wall far on the other side of the room. The prototype serum oozed out of the tip, sliding pitifully down the wall.

Even Wes' eyes had widened at the use of the gun.

"For those who don't know, this is a gun. More specifically, a tranquilizer gun. The liquid you see is my prototype." I reached into my belt and retrieved one of the bullets. The serum gleamed dangerously in the briefing room's low light. "Once the tip is embedded in an object, the springing mechanism on the opposite end will immediately activate. Along with the serum is a mild dose of anesthetic, able to calm even the fiercest Rogues down long enough for the serum to be administered. With tools like these, you won't be endangering anyone by close proximity. All you guys really need is marksmanship training."

The room gave me mixed results. Some of their eyes were wide in amazement. Others were wide in shock. Some didn't bother to make eye contact. Wes was a myriad of emotions: first he looked shocked, then amazed, then affronted. To me, it was as if he was trying to hide his excitement. At a look at Mirei, I smirked. If anyone could get through to him, it was her.

I reholstered the pistol while everyone was busy. I took the time to look over at Red. He was staring emptily at the hypodermic needle oozing serum down the wall. A gentle touch didn't even faze him. His trembling began again.

What had I done?

"Red?" I asked. "Red… are you okay?"

When there was no response, I cursed beneath my breath. I must have triggered something with my demonstration. Did the Elites of the Gale still specialize in guns? My eyes shifted around the room to make sure no one was looking before I started to shake Red slightly. What could I do to…

"General Red."

A blink. "Yes, ma'am?"

That works too. I couldn't help but feel jealous. At one time I had that kind of influence along with Blue. Even I had to wince at the thought of our friend. Every day I mourn her loss. I can't help but think how eight years ago, our adventures started. Who could have dreamed that Pokémon could be used to take over the world? This was more than Team Rocket and Neo Team Rocket.

I shook my head. Now wasn't the time to reminisce.

"Any news on the breeding pens?" the Commander questioned.

Red timidly nodded. "W-We had six new births over the last week, ma'am. Their natures have been confirmed. These newborns are still too young to determine their Individual Values."

"When might they be ready to start training?"

"One week, ma'am."

The Commander took a deep breath. "Very well." She leaned back into her seat. "Does anyone else have news?" Resounding silence. Once again Wes looked ready to argue, but for his own sake he kept quiet. "We strengthen our defenses around Pallet, subtly. We'll need to release some of our own Pidgeys, Rattata, Sentret, and Hoothoot to scout." She stood and faced her back to all of us. I swore that I saw a moment of weakness from her as she clenched her fists.

Then it was gone as she turned to face us with those blazing eyes. I, and most likely the rest of the room, smoldered beneath her gaze. "As much as I hate to risk lives, this must be done. Unless," the Commander looked directly at Wes, "anyone has any other ideas?"

We all turned toward him at that. Somehow Wes didn't falter beneath all the stares. "No, ma'am. I do not," was the immediate, almost robotic, answer. Something in my gut told me that he'd been in this position before, multiple times.

"Then it is settled. You are all dismissed." There was a shuffle of chairs as the trainers began to leave. Wes was one of the first, storming out of the room.

I stood with Red once again taking my hand when I heard someone approach us. "Lieutenant? Lieutenant Green?" I turned to see Mirei standing next to the Commander. She bowed from her waist. "I'm really sorry Wes acted that way. Ever since the Ein Files were stolen, he's been really uptight. And congratulations on the promotion, lieutenant!"

This girl faintly reminded me of a girl with a huge heart, intelligence, and the same fiery red hair… "Thanks," I replied. It was getting harder and harder to cut away my thoughts from the memories of my friends. "By the way, do you know where N is?"

"That smart boy?" Mirei squealed. "He's over by the daycare, playing with the Pokémon! He wouldn't stop asking me questions."

"I hope he hasn't made you uncomfortable."

"Oh no! He's quite curious, and he's only ten. I can only hope this mess will be done and over with so he can experience the world safely."

"It will," the Commander interjected. "If we focus and remain united as one, we shall prevail. I have no doubt of that."

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><p>Red took some time to cool off after the whole gun fiasco. Had I known… Had I known it would reduce him to such a state, I wouldn't have even brought the gun with me. Now his gaze strayed to my right side when he thought I wasn't looking. The gun was safely locked up in my new rooms where only the Commander and I could reach them. I don't know how long Red would stay like this, but all we can really do is hope and support him while he recovers.<p>

Why doesn't that feel like that's enough?

"Green?" I looked up from my desk to see Red staring at me intently. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied offhandedly.

"No, you're not." For the first time since I returned to Kanto, I saw a sliver of the old Red back in his eyes.

"I'll be fine in a bit," I said, rephrasing my answer. "All of this is a lot to take in. After being in Unova for three years, then being thrust right back into this… Don't worry about me, all right?" I knew he would regardless of my words. "Can you show me to the breeding pens?"

"Sure. They're beneath my old house."

As I got up, I wondered how Red could say something like that without getting emotional. Maybe I had been away for far too long. The Red I knew still had a home. He wouldn't so easily dismiss that. Pika chose to burst out of his ball at that moment and sit on Red's cap. He caught my gaze and winked before fanning his tail across Red's face.

"Pika, quit it!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at their antics. Thank goodness Pika hadn't been Converted into a Rogue. I'm sure part of the reason is that Pika had the will surpassing any of the Pokémon that I've encountered, including my own. Vee had been through his share of horrors from being an experimental tool of Team Rocket, which most likely helped build his own willpower.

We weaved through dozens of hallways, passing other members of the Warriors of Hope. They ranged in age from ten to about forty or fifty. Even though the Chaos has only been going on for five years, it has affected far too many lives too quick. These people need to be out exploring the world or taking care of their families.

This shouldn't have happened. By the time everyone knew what was going on, it was already too late. The rogues had been distributed by the Gale of Darkness to power-hungry trainers all over Johto and Kanto. The first sighting of the Rogues was in Ecruteak about eight years or so ago. We as Pokédex holders had our own problems to deal with at the time, so the news never reached us.

Regardless, there was a festival honoring Jirachi taking place. The largest part of that festival was its Pokémon Tournament. It was one like no other. The trainers themselves were put into the fray, just like the Pokémon League. Bringing that sort of risky battling to the public only continued to set the stage. The prize for winning the tournament? A team of Rogues of the winner's choosing. Thankfully the champion of Johto at the time was able to interfere enough so those Rogues weren't let loose. However, he wasn't able to control the Rogues already given out to trainers who entered the tournament.

The damage was done by the end of the festival. Everyone now knew about the Rogues and the power they contained. Word spread quickly through the region, and the Gym Leaders kept a strict eye out for them, refusing the trainers who used them to participate in the challenge for the badges. In frustration some of these trainers released the Rogues into the wild.

That was by far the worst decision they could have made. With breeding and infection, whatever plagued the Rogues spread like wildfire. Packs of Rogues began assaulting cities and towns, driving people out of their homes. The Stage Three Rogues at that time weren't afraid to kill, and that fact hasn't changed to this day. Many of the survivors of those attacks have moved to different regions or have joined the Warriors of Hope.

It's a sad tale, but there's not an ending yet. We at the Warriors of Hope are trying our best to write a happy one. As the Commander said at the meeting, Red and I have had the weight of the world resting on our shoulders before. Matured as we are now, the weight should have lightened, but considering the situation it's as if someone is standing on top of us. However I refuse to allow the world to fall completely to some madmen while I'm still alive.

The Warriors have been successful in keeping the Rogues at bay, for what it's worth. Without us, the Rogues would have overtaken the world ages ago. At the same time, too many lives have been lost. Too many friends are dead. I don't think Red and I can stand to lose much more, if any at all.

"We're here," Red said. We stood in front of a metal door. Red allowed the scanner to scan his iris, and we pushed the door open.

It looked just like the old daycare just south of Cerulean City. The large, grass-filled pens were separated by simple wooden fences. Parent and baby Pokémon frolicked as if no war occurred just above their heads. When Red whistled, all of the adult Pokémon perked up and ran to the edge of their pens. He opened the first one after grabbing a shoulder bag by the door.

"Yellow taught me how to handle everyone," Red began as he closed the fence's door behind us. He knelt down on one knee with a hand extended. There were three types of Fire-types in the pen: Ponyta, Rapidash, and Arcanine. Eventually the youngest Ponyta inched its way forward and nosed Red's hand. He reached into his bag and retrieved a large blue berry. Immediately the horse nickered and chomped the Oran Berry. "Woah! Easy there, girl."

Yellow. I don't remember seeing her portrait in the Hall of Heroes, but Red said that she was gone. What happened to her, then?

Seeing the questions in my eyes, Red asked, "You're probably wondering what happened to Yellow, right?" He chuckled wryly and pet the Ponyta on its snout. Four throws and chomps later, the adults were fed their Sitrus Berries. Red walked to the opposite end of the pen in silence to check the water and the regular feed. Soon after, he returned to the entrance of the pen with me.

His hand lingered on the door for a moment. "There… there was a big battle in Viridian Forest a few weeks ago. Yellow, Ka-Kasumi, the Commander, and I were on the front lines facing some of the worst Elite from the gale." Red kept his gaze on the ground. "Yellow and I were paired up. It seemed like they were focusing their attack on us, and we didn't know why until it was too late. Something knocked me out from behind, and all I can remember as I went down was Yellow screaming." He tilted his head up to look at Pika. "Chuchu manage to get away, somehow. She's in the Electric pen with the others." He reached up to grab Pika and put him on the ground. With one long look at the two of us, he ran.

It was as if the Gale wanted to break Red in particular. They nearly succeeded, I thought, as my eyes wandered to the bandages on his wrists. Why just Red, not the Commander? Did the Gale have some kind of personal vendetta against Red? I reached over to touch him, but he turned away. I was left clenching my fist at my right side. If they wanted to break him again, they would have to get through me. I refuse to go down easily.

Red took a shuddering breath. "Why?" he asked so brokenly that my heart cracked again. "Why does everyone close to me have to die?!"

I took a deep breath. "Not everyone is dead, Red. I'm here, aren't I?"

He swung around, nearly sending me reeling backwards and sending the berries everywhere. Red's eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "Fuck you and your logic talk, Green," he hissed. His hands came up to clutch at his head. "I can't do **anything** right!" Red suddenly tore at the bandages wrapped around his wrists. As they fell to the ground, I saw horrid, jagged lines that already began scarring. They were placed where they would cause the maximum pain and a slow death. "I can't even die right! I don't understand." Red sobbed, sinking down onto his knees while tears shamelessly flowed.

I knelt down in front of him, gathering the berries I could reach. I carefully avoided touching him as I placed them back into his bag. When I saw him calm down a bit, I whispered, "Red, I'll say it again so that it gets through that thick head of yours." I made sure he was looking at me by tugging a few pieces of hair on the back of his head. "You're here for a reason. The Warriors of Hope need you. The world needs you." I opened my arms wide. "These Pokémon need you.

"Don't you **dare** say that someone else can so easily take your place. You're worth so much more than that."

Red began to shake his head back and forth. He opened his mouth to say more, but I interrupted, "And I'll be right next to you until you start accepting this. Maybe I'll stick around longer than that; it's not like Unova needs me back."

By the way Red slowly looked up and met my gaze, I definitely counted that as a victory. A small one, but a victory nonetheless. We slowly stood up together and visited the rest of the pens. They were a quiet affair until we reached the Psychic area.

Sitting cross-legged amongst the different species were N and his new Ralts. Some sort of telekinetic conversation seemed to pass through all of them, causing my green-haired assistant to laugh. Once he caught sight of us, N immediately stopped. His eyes grew wide.

"Did you have fun?" I asked, snapping him out of his shock.

"We did, Green! We were debating amongst ourselves the nature of the bond between humans and Pokémon," N began in a hurt. "Did you know there used to be bonding rituals to determine the partner of a human in ancient times? Are Pokéballs just a form of slavery since they trap the creature inside? These are amazing topics, Green. Why have we never discussed them before?"

I chuckled at my assistant's hyperness. Were we ever like that as children? Perhaps, but I do hope that I had some of poise at that age. "We were too busy at the time, N. But now that we're here, you'll be able to talk with them more often."

"Really?" N beamed. He pet a Natu on its head, causing it to cluck happily. "There are so many of them! I'm sure our debates could last hours at a time. I don't know if I'll be able to give them equal time…"

Red was in the middle of feeding a family of Abra when he interjected, "You'll figure something out. You've already made a ton of friends here, and we have hundreds of them—one of each, except for the legendaries." He looked at me. It was amazing how he changed when handling Pokémon and someone who hadn't been fully exposed to the Chaos. "They're in a special set of rooms, and some choose to stay in Pokéballs, for their own safety." Red clapped his hands to remove any wayward dust. "Anyway, what I'm saying is that you have a good heart, N. Green wouldn't have picked you as an assistant otherwise. Who knows, you might even put a team of your own together someday."

N blanched. "A-A team of my own? You think I can do that?" The Ralts nodded up at N with his own smile.

"I do," Red answered with finality. "Every day we get closer to winning this war. It may not look like it on the outside, but you'll see. You'll be able to go on your own adventure, without danger from the Gale." He walked over and hovered his hand above N's head but finally ruffled the green hair. "I promise."

We were definitely making progress here. Red may have the weight of the world on his shoulders, but now I was here to take some of it onto my own. Once we get rid of the Gale and its Rogues, the weight will definitely become lighter—maybe we won't even need to carry it anymore.


	5. Radioactive

**A/N: **Has it really been a year? Oh. Didn't think it would be that long. xD Got the next chapter written already so think a month until the next update? Really. 3

**Image Song: **Radioactive by Imagine Dragons

**Warnings:** Red is OOC for a good reason (though he won't be like this for the entire story, I assure you). How would YOU react if this happened to you? … Yeah, I thought so.

Also, for all who didn't realize it in the first place, Green is based upon his **original Japanese counterpart**. This means that Green = Shigeru = Gary.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pokémon or the Image Song. I only own Setsuka and my little universe with the Rogues.

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><p><strong>Wake Me Up When This Chaos Ends<strong>

**Written by Fenikkusu**

**Dream V - Radioactive**

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><p>In a place covered by ash and ruin, evil lurked. A woman with bright amber eyes walked to the edge of a cliff, her heels clicking with every step. She wore a form fitting black and pink corset with a matching mini-skirt. Black leather accessories adorned her form including knee-high boots. Chains looped about her waist, and if one looked close enough and lived to tell the tale, they would see odd Pokéballs pulsing with dark power.<p>

Her gaze turned to the purple-hazed sky. Everything had been so far coming… but in the end the Gale of Darkness had nearly won. Nearly.

A scowl crossed her face at the mere thought of the Warriors of Hope. Why, why had Green have to return from Unova so soon? Red was almost broken. However, her sources told her that the bond between the two young men was slowly putting Red back together. She nearly spat—what a shame. She was confident that she would get another opportunity to crush the general, but she would need to be patient. What a bore.

But for once there was a more pressing matter. Green arrived with a boy who had neon green hair and grey eyes. Could this also be a child of Viridian? If so, this would be another problem that she had to deal with. This was a risk she could not take. If the Warriors were to discover the boy's true potential as they almost had with Yellow and Lance, then all of her well-laid plans would be wasted.

The blood-colored star at the end of her choker blinked. The woman raised a long fingernail to tap on it. "Mistress, it is confirmed! Subject N's mother was of Viridian descent!" came the high pitched communication. "Shall we commence an emergency attack?"

"Wait," was the silky reply. "We shall remain on schedule. The Commander of the Warriors of Hope will able to sense the disturbance and make full use of it. No, we'll attack once the Pharaoh is ready."

"B-But Mistress! Why not attack them when they least expect it?"

"Do you doubt my judgment?" the woman asked lowly. The person on the other side squeaked in terror. "A predator always plays with its prey before devouring it. We shall give the boy and Greenie-poo a proper welcoming party. Notify the rest of the Gale."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!" The terrified voice on the other end phased out immediately.

She laughed, the sound echoing through the canyons and empty town below. Even though it was once known as a ghost town due to the Pokémon that resided there, many more ghosts now occupied it. The only living beings now were the Rogue scavengers that feasted upon the corpses littering the streets. She didn't know what initially attracted her to the town back when it was alive, but she knew for sure that the stench of death is what often kept her coming back now.

_**Ah, where it all started, **_the woman thought. Her fingers unraveled one ball from the chains about her waist. She enlarged the machine and released the creature inside with a flick of her wrist. A gigantic black bird with tail feathers in various shades of grey stared at her with crazed ruby eyes. "You shall be able to feast again soon, my pretty. You won't need to wait long. Paint the skies above Pallet Town, will you?"

With a caw of understanding it departed. Great beats of its wings showered the skies with sparking ash. Where there had once been a rainbow, only purple and grey remained. Soon the legendary had crossed the nation of Kanto to arrive at the small town to the southwest. The bird crisscrossed the area above Pallet in only a few minutes, leaving a lasting message for those who still resided below. Innocents scattered at its cry, fleeing for their lives.

Meanwhile, above the other ruined town, the woman breathed in the Chaos deep. Yes, she would need to be patient, but the bloodshed would be **glorious**. Her tongue slipped out to moisten crimson lips. She could barely contain her excitement.

* * *

><p>Without the sun to guide the body's natural clock, artificial light was used. Another nod to Unova's advancement in technology lit the entirety of the Warriors' HQ. N squirmed next to me when the lights suddenly dimmed. The boy was so used to nature that a change like this would definitely startle him.<p>

I had found N living in the woods of Unova not long after I had arrived. I had tried to make a journey of my own around the region when I came upon Lostlorn Forest. An odd aura came over me as I walked in, and I knew that there were secrets. The illusions were well-made; I found myself getting lost many times. However I figured out the illusions after some trial and error. In the end it was N's curiosity which revealed him to me.

N was in the care of a Zoroark. Initially she didn't want me to take him in, but I convinced her that it was for the best. N needed to see the world and interact with humans. There was only so much that he could learn cooped up in the woods as he was. I promised to bring N back once this whole Chaos mess was over and done with. The mere thought that I couldn't keep my promise anytime soon makes me sick.

The ten-year-old's eyes continued to flit around as we left the breeding pens. He'd never seen so much metal and electronics in his life. "Where are we going?"

"Dining Halls," Red replied. "Hungry?"

"Well…" Just then we all heard a loud growl. A blush quickly spread over N's face.

I smirked. "That's something else you two have in common."

N grinned though his face still burned bright. He ran in front of Red and me and spread his arms out wide. "The Pokémon told me all about you guys! They said Red is a General! Is that true?" He received a nod. "Awesome! You musta done a lot to get where you are."

"I'm not anyone special, N. I'm not on a huge pedestal above everyone else. I just have the most… experience." Red raised one hand to rub at the back of his head. "I'm just good at battling. There are a lot of other people who are good at it too." He shrugged, Pika bobbing from his spot atop Red's head.

"Red," I began slowly, "you're the **best **battler out there. Don't sell yourself so short. That's why my grandfather called you the Battler, remember?"

Grandfather… I willed tears back. He was one of the first victims of the Chaos. All of the Professors were abducted at the same time. Unlike the other Pokédex holders there was no confirmation of their deaths, but there were tales. When facing the Bitch, I heard how my grandfather was tortured in nearly every way. He refused to reveal the more complex discoveries he had made, which only increased the torture. Then one day I just stopped hearing any news about him.

I knew deep down that my grandfather had met the worst fate at the hands of the Gale. I needed no physical proof of it. Even though I had lost him so early on, it still stings.

"Were you called anything, Green?" N asked. He ran back to my side and held my hand as we could now hear a plethora of voices echoing from down the hall.

"I was called the Trainer. Grandfather said that I was the best at bringing Pokémon to their greatest potential," I answered with a tiny smile on my face.

N blinked. "But then why did you come to Unova with only Umbreon, Pika, and Vee? Wouldn't you have lots of fully evolved Pokémon?"

_A cackle. Tears blazed through my vision as I knelt next to my Charizard. A large gash ran down its stomach in the shape of a claw. Both blood and viscous black fluid dripped from the deep wound. The ground burned from where the liquid pooled._

_No… Charizard, you can't! We've been through so much. You have the willpower, you do! Bright blue eyes stared up at me, shining with pain. As much as I wanted to deny it, I could already see flecks of ruby glowing maliciously._

"_Is Greenie-poo sad?" came a mocking voice. I could hear the Bitch stepping forward towards us._

_Waves crashed against the sharp rocks below, only adding to the noise ringing in my head. I clutched the earth and felt grime beneath my nails. "Shut up!"_

_She laughed. The fucking Bitch laughed. "One by one they fell. You only have your Umbreon left, and he's nowhere to be seen." Her laugh grew. "Don't tell me you left him behind so that he wouldn't be converted!" Her amber eyes pierced into mine. She gasped in fake surprise. "No. You didn't! How… cute." Next to me Charizard couldn't hold back another cry of pain. The Bitch's laugh waned in favor of a smirk. I swear I could see a fang peeking out. "Please, do cry. It'll make my victory all the sweeter."_

_I blinked back my tears. I refused to cry, especially in front of her. I wouldn't give the monster the satisfaction. The back of my hand rubbed at my eyes. With a cry of rage I lunged at the highest Elite. She sidestepped with ease, causing me to crash into a nearby tree. No pain registered; I just pushed myself up and tried again. I managed to swipe a bit on her skirt on the second try._

_A grin spread across her face, growing bigger each time I missed crashing into her. We continued this for how long… My mind was too clouded by rage to gauge the time. Unbeknownst to me, the Bitch had been leading me closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. She caught me by my collar suddenly. Her breath fanned over my face, and I nearly tasted the poison in it. Those bright eyes scanned me once more._

_I froze. There was something predatory gleaming within them. It was at that moment I realized I was trapped. A step back would send me off of the cliff. A step forward, into her, would likely end with a bullet through my chest or a dagger through my stomach. At this distance it would be impossible not to see my realization. The gleam increased._

"_**This**__ is what I live for, Greenie-poo," the Bitch began, licking her lips. "The 'thrill of the hunt,' you would call it. Once I finally close my claws around you…" She tightened her grip, cutting off my air supply. "I can tear you apart limb by limb and watch you __**bleed**__. I see you've realized this."_

_I would never admit anything to her. I tried not to speed up my breathing, but it happened on its own accord due to the lack of air. No. I couldn't die now. It wouldn't be the end. I kicked out._

_That laugh. That laugh would forever haunt my nightmares. "Scared yet, Greenie-poo?" She loosened her grip just enough for me to answer._

_I spat in her face. "I'm not afraid of __**you**__."_

"_Why you little—" Her grip once again tightened around my throat. Her long nails pierced my skin, and little rivulets of blood trickled over them. I coughed. Black spots danced before my eyes. I couldn't… I couldn't breathe. My eyes began to shut to maniacal laughter when fire appeared at the corner of my vision. "The hell?!" I heard the Bitch scream, and I was thrown onto the ground._

_Orange flashed above me. Charizard roared, grabbing the woman in his claws. The wound on his stomach continued to gush, but like me earlier the pain didn't appear to faze him. He looked at me. Through the pain, through the beginnings of the Conversion into a Rogue, there was a surprising clearness._

_He leapt._

"_Charizard!" I cried, scrambling to the edge. His hold on the Bitch didn't wane. She struggled in his grip, the chains around her waist entangling around his arms. The waves continued to crash at the bottom of the cliff. Surely Charizard would let go before they both crashed, right? Right?_

_There was a sharp splash. The harsh water engulfed both of them. I remembered Grandfather always reminded me to take care of my starter's tail flame. It was said that if it went out completely, my friend would die. I knew that he had evolved to a Charizard long ago, but I had this sinking feeling. I knew._

_I knew Charizard was gone._

A squeeze to my hand brought me back to the present. N looked up at me from under his neon fringe. Concern glimmered in his eyes. I cracked a tiny smile at the innocent look. This is what I wanted to protect. This is what the Warriors of Hope were fighting for. N's presence was a constant reminder, one that I guess I needed.

"You were remembering," was the soft reply on my other side. I turned my head to see Red refusing to meet my eyes. He opted to keep his gaze forward. His expression seemed blank, but I knew him too well. I saw the subtle tightening of his mouth and flexing of his fists.

"Yeah," I replied after a few moments of silence. "Didn't mean to worry you guys."

N loosened his grip. "Don't be sad! All the Pokémon in the breeding pens love you. They said you guys chase your dreams and catch them." His hyper voice lowered. "I wanna grow strong like you guys. Maybe then there won't be such a fight over Truth and Ideals… Ralts and I are gonna train hard and help everyone 'cause we're Warriors now too!"

I didn't know if I agreed with the Commander about making N a Warrior. Surely she didn't expect him on the front lines, but I would be ignorant to assume that N's abilities wouldn't be used in some way. I only hoped that the boy would be safe. There would always be a risk, no matter where he was. It was the right choice that I brought him to Kanto with me. I couldn't leave N on his own.

The rest of the walk to the dining hall was quiet. The voices at the end of the hall assaulted us once we walked through the large doors. Heh, it's like the noise gave the Warriors of Hope some sense of normalcy. Trainers and Pokémon alike ate together. N beamed at the interactions between humans and his friends.

A tray was held out in front of me. I thanked Red and followed him over to the buffet. To be completely honest the buffet wasn't big and the selection was lacking, but I wasn't surprised in the slightest. I was actually more surprised that they had this much. Grabbing a few salads and fruits, I balanced the tray while holding onto N's hand.

Suddenly something crashed into me. The tray wobbled, the dishes clanging together. Thankfully N grabbed onto the other side to steady it. I whirled around. Wes stood just behind me, haughty smirk on his face. "Oops," he said, waving a hand dismissively. The hall behind him became deathly silent.

"What the hell is your problem?!" I shouted. "I have done nothing to earn your ire, and yet you do your best to make my time here miserable."

The smirk morphed into a sneer. "Exactly! You've done nothing. I know about you. After your friend Blue died, you ran away to Unova with your tail between your legs!" He laughed, and no one joined him. Internally I seethed. How dare he make a mockery of Blue's sacrifice! I opened my mouth to retort.

"You're just a bully!" I turned, shocked, to N. He had since placed the tray down on the table. His grey eyes were as hard as stones. "You have no proof or basis for your claims. Green's one of the bravest and smartest people I know."

A hand flew through N, and I raced to catch it before it hit him. However, it was stopped before I could interfere. A thin hand wrapped around Wes' hand and held tight. There was a glint of anger in Red's otherwise emotionless eyes as he stared at the blonde. Red squeezed righter, causing Wes to wince.

With a snarl Wes lunged forward. I pulled N behind me with an arm though my eyes were on Red. I had no need to worry. With the speed of a skilled fighter, Red ducked while still holding onto Wes' wrist. The sudden change in momentum caused Wes to fly forward over my friend and into some chairs. It was then Red released his hold as to not break bones.

The anger in Red's eyes dimmed just a bit as he looked at the teen sprawled out on the floor. "I **can** defend my friends," was the whisper from Red's lips. With that he shot a look at me and placed his other hand on N's head. He knelt down on his stronger knee. "You okay?" Red asked N.

The boy sniffled. "Yeah, b-but I don't think I'm hungry anymore."

I glared at Wes. I knew that this was far from over, but I'd give him time to lick his wounds. We would settle this between us. Alone. Picking up the tray, I said, "Let's go eat somewhere else."

Red nodded, standing. I didn't miss how he shook out his knee. We would need to talk about that later. N gently took Red's hand this time instead of my own. My assistant made no grimace at the fresh scars littered across Red's wrists. He only smiled up at Red. The anger completely faded from Red leaving the emptiness. Red led us back out of the hall and through the maze of chrome. This time N didn't run ahead. In fact, I think he was now studying Red.

Oftentimes N would go into bouts of observation when something particularly interested him. He would go silent for days when trying to figure out a solution to a problem. The outside world disappeared; I often had to remind N to eat and sleep. N moved closer to Red, and I assumed that his questions were answered for now.

I nearly sighed in relief. Arceus forbid something happened to the Commander or me… but at least Red could take care of N.

We entered Red's room and locked the door behind us. Pika hopped onto the floor to greet Vee, who slithered between all our legs. N giggled at the action. He took his free hand and grabbed the Pokéball on his belt. Ralts appeared in a flash of light. He peered up at us from beneath his helmet and waved a paw. The Ralts received a small nod in return. We all sat down at the table while Red retrieved some Pokéfood. Soon we all tucked in, and N did manage to down his food. Red and I took our time. Thankfully Red was able to eat a little more than before, though most of the time he just swirled his soup around.

The brighter light allowed me to look at Red a bit better. I hadn't noticed it outside, but he really did look quite emaciated. Large shadows drooped beneath his eyes, and his skin did have a bit of a grey tinge. Oh, Red. I knew that healing wouldn't happen overnight, but seeing you like this… We needed you to be strong, Red. I know that the Commander was the first pillar in the Warriors of Hope, but you were a close second. I could even put the two of you on the same plane.

"Thanks for stopping the bully earlier," N said after he cleaned his plate. "But why is he so mean?"

Red took some time to compose himself. He pushed his now cold soup forward with one hand while the other went to his knee. "Shadow Pokémon… were the original Rogues. A guy named Ein was the chief scientist. He kept his notes in the Ein Files." He paused, taking a small sip of water. His hand on his knee shook beneath the table where N could not see. "B-Blood Raven altered the formula. That made permanent Shadow Pokémon." He peeked out of the corner of his eyes at me. "It was Wes who figured out Shadow Pokémon could be purified."

What? That kid, saving Orre from Shadow Pokémon? With an attitude like his, I could barely believe it. But Red was not one to lie. I shook my head. If the kid was as good as he claimed, then I guess it was better that Wes was on our side.

Red yawned. N quickly followed with his own. It figured that these two would be tired. Looking at the clock, it was nearing the middle of the afternoon. A nap wouldn't be a bad idea. "You both need to sleep," I suggested as I began to clean up the leftovers. "Why don't you both nap?" I gestured to the bed and the couch.

"Where're you goin'?" N asked with another smaller yawn.

"I need to practice battling. I'll see if I can pin down the Commander." Red stood and walked over to me. I took his hands in mine, squeezing just a bit. He didn't say a word, though he bowed his head to avoid my gaze again. "Hey," I murmured, low enough that N couldn't hear, "I'm not going anywhere. You need to sleep. You need new bandages." He nodded.

As I led Red to the small bathroom attached to the bedroom, I saw N claiming the couch. His head was already buried in a cushion. Ralts snuggled next to the boy, and I was sure both were quite warm. Pika hopped on the bed, fluffing up pillows. Vee used his psychic powers to fold back the blankets on one side of the bed.

Flipping on the light, I saw that anything with a sharp edge had been removed, even the mirror. The medicine cabinet wouldn't be able to be broken by Red alone, and there were softened corners everywhere. There was another lock on the cabinet, and I made sure that Red wasn't looking as I opened it. I pulled out fresh bandages and locked the cabinet again.

"You don't have to look," I said, pressing my fingers close to the scars.

"I'm fine."

I arched an eyebrow. Sure he was. I held his hand palm up. I kept an eye on Red's expression the entire time. I crumpled up what was left of the old bandage and placed it in my pocket before looking at the scars. They looked a lot worse up close. I saw the veins pulsing beneath them. Red said he wanted it to hurt, but placing the cuts over such prominent veins would have ended his life much faster than if he hadn't.

I opened up rest of the tattered bandages on his other wrist and found much smaller and more precise cuts. I couldn't help but run my fingers close, but I stopped immediately when I felt Red shiver. I quickly turned on the faucet, and once the water was warm I placed his wrists beneath them. I cleaned out a bit of dirt that got in the bandages due to the episode in the breeding pens. I pat them dry and rewrapped them.

Red didn't seem to react otherwise. I needed to lead him back outside and onto his bed. N was already asleep, so I could speak a bit louder. Sitting down next to him I said, "Hey. Pika and Vee will make sure nothing will happen." The two Pokémon on the other half of the bed nodded. I had to raise Red's chin again to look into his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. All right? I'll come right back to check on you guys as soon as I'm done."

"… you promise?" The reply was barely audible.

"I do." That seemed to calm him down a little. I let go of him, allowing him to go sideways on the bed. Vee tucked the blankets around him while Pika curled up under Red's chin. The two vigilant Pokémon watched as I walked toward the door. I turned around before opening it to find Red still looking at me. I sent him another nod. Once he closed his eyes, I opened the door and walked out. The door closed behind me. I turned to my left arm, pressing a few buttons on my X-transciever.

I hoped that the Commander wasn't busy. There was a bit of static. Thankfully the blue hair of the Commander appeared. "Ah, Lieutenant Green. How may I help you?" the woman asked. She looked to be sitting in her office by the full bookshelves behind her.

"I was told that there was a training facility I could use. Is there a chance that we could have a battle?"

The Commander laughed. "Very well. Give me a few minutes. I shall meet you in your new quarters." The connection ended with a snap.

Thankfully my room wasn't far from Red's. Once I walked in, I secured the door shut. I looked up at where I kept my tranquilizer gun stashed. My hands itched. I double-checked to make sure that the door was firmly shut. I walked up to the cabinet and unlocked it. The weapon sat in the middle seemingly harmless. The darts full with the serum were in a small refrigerated container. The empty one sat on the other side of the gun. I only took out the empty dart and the gun.

After closing the cabinet securely I loaded the weapon with ease. I practiced using it every day, many times per day. I always had to be prepared, even though the Rogue population in Unova was sparse. The gun felt right in my hands. The mechanism was simple; I built it myself, and I was no engineer. I laughed at the irony. In trying to find a solution to researching and capturing Rogues safely, I had turned to a gun. The same weapon, although in a different form, that the Elites of the Gale of Darkness used to kill. And now I was accustomed to using it.

I placed the gun near my side, as if it was in its holster. My eyes scanned my room, looking for a probable target. Ah, a cushion. That would work. Suddenly I whipped out the gun, pointing it at the cushion. My finger hesitated on the trigger for a moment. At a knock, I whirled around, gun pointed at the door. My heart rate jumped, but then I remembered that I was not outside fighting for my life. I was here, at the Warriors of Hope headquarters. I lowered my weapon. I placed the pistol back and made sure to lock the cabinet before opening the door.

The Commander stood before me with a raised eyebrow. I couldn't help but blush beneath her gaze. She looked briefly behind me at the cabinet. "Practice?" she asked, gesturing to it.

I nodded. "I use it every day, but since we got here earlier, I haven't had a free moment. What happened during the meeting didn't count as practice." I wasn't about to tell her how empty my grip felt without it.

She seemed to understand. Her hand fell to the top of her sword in a subtle fashion. It was rare that I had seen her use it, but I wouldn't doubt her skill with it. Many of us these days turned to weapons to defend ourselves. We couldn't rely on just our Pokémon anymore. "Yes, yes. You said you wanted to battle?" Another nod from me. "Let us find you a partner first. I assume your Umbreon…" At my silence she stopped. There was no need to go there. Her clothes billowed as she turned.

The Commander was mysterious. If I had to choose another word, indomitable. No one knew much about her. She seemed to come out of nowhere, like some kind of superhero. When the world needed her, she founded the Warriors of Hope. The Gale of Darkness constantly challenged her, but they had yet to take her down. The rest of the Warriors and Heroes, though…

Blood. Screaming. Cackling laughter.

"Lieutenant Green." The Commander's voice washed over me. I blinked out of my head to find we were already in front of a set of sturdy doors.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"You would do well not to drown in your memories," she scolded lightly. The doors slid open, light spilling forward. Stadium lights illuminated a simple arena. White chalk lines contrasted against dark dirt.

"My gym!" I ran forward. The entire layout was the same. The raised platforms for the trainers were even there. A screen showing the entire arena hovered over the middle. There were a few wooden benches on the side to accommodate an audience. I was only Viridian's Gym Leader for a short time, but they were fond memories. The rush of each new challenger, the adrenaline of the fight, the accomplishment of winning. Yes, they were very good memories. Before I knew it, I was standing on one side of the field in front of the raised platform.

My hand reached to my belt but found nothing. Oh. Right.

The telltale sound of a Pokéball releasing echoed through the room. I blinked away the bright red light. In front of me stood a crimson creature standing on two legs. Two huge pincers replaced its hands. Upon seeing me it knelt down on one leg with its head bowed.

"His name is Shinobi," the Commander began. She stood just beyond the Bug-type with his ball in hand. "He is yours now." Fully evolved Innocents were the rarest type to see nowadays. I couldn't possibly— "I am not loaning him to you. You need a new partner if you are to fight with us properly." She threw the Pokéball at me. Only my honed reflexes allowed me to catch it before it hit my face.

"Commander—"

"Setsuka in private, Green."

I paused. "Setsuka, then. I have to thank you. If there's anything I can do…"

A small smile crossed her harsh face. "Fight your hardest and protect those whom you love. That is all I ask of you as both the Commander of the Warriors of Hope and a friend." She turned around and walked to the other side of the arena. When the Commander turned back around, I could sense the fire of a battle building. Dusky hands removed the Ultra Ball from around her neck. "Prepare yourself!"

The Scizor and I nodded to each other. The bug stood up in one fluid motion, its movements much like its former trainer's. Another memory sprang forth in my mind with my own Scizor standing by my side. No, Shinobi wouldn't replace my old friend. We would help each other chase our dream of peace, just as N said we could.

"Whenever you are ready, Co-Setsuka!" I stood straighter.

She threw the Ultra Ball high into the air. The shiny Salamence from earlier soared high toward the ceiling. It landed in front of Shinobi with a thump, blowing up clouds of dust. The dragon looked at both of us and snorted out a bit of fire. Touya's wings flared as he raised his head and blew a much more impressive stream of fire into the air.

I suppressed a gulped. I wasn't expecting her to go easy on me, but this… "Bullet Punch, Shinobi!" The Scizor rushed. Its arms punched forward at a nearly invisible speed.

"Not so fast. Protect!" The Salamence curled in on itself. A web of transparent hexagons formed an impenetrable dome around it. Shinobi's Bullet Punch didn't do a thing to the dome. Seeing the lack of damage the Scizor leapt backwards. It quickly returned to its normal stance.

The Salamence broke out of its protective dome. With a flap of its huge wings it began to hover. It looked down at the Scizor and snorted, causing the Co—Setsuka to laugh. "Flamethrower."

_**Shit!**_ This Scizor better be agile enough to avoid it. There was no need for me to say anything. Shinobi immediately skid out of the way of the initial blast. Setsuka was smart enough to not order the fire as one continuous stream. Oddly enough the dragon saved its strength by shooting only pockets at a time. Its firepower was so strong, though, that many pockets remained burning on the ground.

This decreased the playing field. Clever. "Swords Dance!" I shouted once the Scizor got a chance to breathe. It jolted to a sudden stop. As if sharpening its claws, its movements were deliberate. I knew this was risky—Shinobi needed to stay still—but if he could pull it off, the Attack boost would benefit us in the long run.

Setsuka knew that as well. "Interrupt it, Touya!" At this the shiny dove. The tension rose. The Salamence didn't seem to be using any particular attack, but considering the speed and the weight of the Pokémon, a hit could definitely hurt. However, battling wasn't as simple as give and take. Sometimes compromises needed to be made.

_With the speed of a skilled fighter, Red ducked while still holding onto Wes' wrist. The sudden change in momentum caused Wes to fly forward over my friend and into some chairs._

_**That's it!**_ Shinobi glanced back at me during his Swords Dance, even as the Salamence came closer. "Brace yourself," I ordered in as calm of a voice as I could muster. If timed correctly, we would be able to use its momentum against it. Again this was another risk, but it was needed. Shinobi wouldn't be able to dodge it at this point. The Scizor seemed to understand when it crossed its large claws in front of itself. My heart continued to race; the dragon was only a few meters away now.

The window of opportunity was small, but I had confidence in my new friend. My breath caught in my throat at the loud crash. My eyes locked on my Scizor effectively grabbing the Salamence by the shoulders. The grip didn't last long as Shinobi used the momentum to flip the dragon over himself. The dragon roared in confusion; it didn't look like it expected this at all. It flapped its wings to no avail, crashing into the dirt with a thud.

I heard quiet clapping as the Salamence stood. It looked a bit scuffed on the side which hit the ground, but otherwise it looked in perfect condition. "Impressive, Lieutenant," Setsuka complimented from the other side of the arena. "Nevertheless, we shall not fall so easily. Flamethrower once more!" The Salamence dug its claws into the ground and let loose yet another burst of fire.

"Try to avoid it!" I screamed, hoping my panic wouldn't show. The two were closer, much closer this time. Shinobi jumped into the air. A cry of pain told me that the escape wasn't entirely successful. Taking a closer look, I saw a burn on the bug's left leg. Hopefully this was only an injury and not a Status Condition. The cut to the Scizor's attack would mitigate some of the boost from the Swords Dance.

Shinobi landed back on the ground with a slight wince. It was obvious that he was already favoring the leg. _**Change in plans, **_I thought. _**We'll have to finish this quickly. Shinobi won't be able to avoid Touya forever with that leg. **_"Alright, Shinobi. Use Night Slash!" The Scizor used its good leg to propel forward. A black aura covered its claws, creating sharp edges.

The dragon didn't need an order. Once again it folded in on itself. The Protect from earlier appeared around the Salamence. The contact of the Night Slash on the dome created a lot of sparks but no damage. "Swords Dance, quickly! While it's still in that shell!" I commanded on a whim. I knew Salamence was usually faster, but there were a few seconds of lag time after Protect.

The sharpening began just as the dome began to disappear. Glancing over at Setsuka, I saw no panic or urgency on her face. Rather, I saw the calm, cool disposition I always saw her wear. How long it took her to perfect suck a pokerface I don't know. I usually tried to remain calm and collected while battling, but ones like this set my blood boiling and adrenaline coursing through my veins.

There was a roar. The Salamence broke out of its protective shell. So far in the battle, the dragon only retained a few scratches due to the impromptu throw earlier while Shinobi suffered from the injury on its leg. Both Setsuka and I knew there wasn't long left. Shinobi finished its Swords Dance just as Touya regained its bearings. The next landed attack would finish it. I took a deep breath in time with Shinobi. Touya and Setsuka did the same.

"Flamethrower!" "Night Slash!"

Both Pokémon prepared themselves. Fire bubbled at the dragon's mouth, and dark blades formed around the bug's claws. Suddenly the Scizor sped forward, emboldened by his two Swords Dances. The Salamence stood its ground, but its eyes followed its opponent's every move. At the last possible moment, Shinobi made a quick turn. Touya seemed to be prepared for the move; it released the Flamethrower onto a critical point just as Shinobi struck.

The force of the two attacks sent the two sprawling apart. Both slid across the ground. They stared each other dead in the eye, heaving great breaths. Then a cry of pain… from Touya! The Salamence fell to the ground with a great thud. I held back a cheer. _**We did it! We wo—!**_

Shinobi dropped to one knee. It clutched at its burned leg, similar burns bubbling across its stomach from the last Critical Hit. A few seconds later it too fell to the ground unconscious.

"Two Critical Hits at the same time, and yet Shinobi fell only to a burn. I expected nothing less," Setsuka commented with a small smile. "You have not lost your touch, Trainer." She walked over to her fallen Pokémon, pulling out a manila-colored star. Kneeling down she pried Touya's mouth open and placed it beneath its tongue. The dragon cracked its eyes open soon after, growling in apology. "You did well, my friend," Setsuka replied to the Salamence. She ran a comforting hand across his head.

A similar star was thrown at me. "B-But, Setsuka! A Max Revive?" Her glare caused me to gulp. I made no other protest as I used it on my Scizor. Shinobi awoke slowly. It tried to stand, but my hand on its shoulder kept it on the ground. "For our first battle, that was amazing. Thanks." It nodded, apparently satisfied.

"I do hope that was enough proof," the Commander drawled, glancing over my shoulder. I turned to see what she was looking at. I only caught sight of deep navy coattails disappearing around the corner of the entrance.

There was only one person that I knew who wore a coat in that color. I couldn't help but laugh.


End file.
